I saw it growing in someone's yard and asked them if I could pick a branch and took these pictures. It is a bush about 12-15ft tall and 10 feet wide. She said it was planted many years ago by a distant relative. It is just beautiful right now and loaded with these beautiful lilac blooms.
Here is a picture of the flower upclose.
I beleive it is called Vitex, but I can not remember the common name, and yes it is very lovely and a hardy perennial. It is not native but very wiedly adapted. they also call it Summer Lilacs, but that is not the most common name.
Chaste Tree
If it is a vitex it will be a small tree around here
Thank you Mitch, I had another of those name memory blocks. Could not bring it up to save my life.
Funny the scientific name came up, go figure.
This message was edited Jun 13, 2005 4:57 PM
I have tried to start them from seed and nothing comes up for me ever - LOL I only know becasue it is only thing I cannot get to grow.
Oh, that looks like a small "tree" I saw when I was in Galveston recently. We were all looking at it, thinking lilacs also, but knew that couldn't be it. I've always heard about Chaste tree, but never knew what they look like. Thanks for posting that Sunshine!
There's a pink variety, too although I have never seen one. The ones I've seen in La Grange are the blue ones.
They have a long bloom time - and really take our heat well. They are almost the perfect plant.
I was at a nursery today during lunch, and saw the vitex. Here's a sign for it:
12-15 feet! Wish I had room for one of these. I've always loved lilac bushes but have never had any luck with them. Anyone who has been able to grow them around here is very, very lucky!
I have one - its doubled in size in under a year!
Beautiful! The butterflies must really love it.
Carol, is that a lilac or the vitex? It is gorgeous!
Does it need a lot of water?
no in fact they grow them down I35 with no water and they whack them down every so often and they always come back..
Its the Vitex, and they are growing all over the place on dry roadsides round here. I love blue flowers and this one just goes on and on!
We had one in central Texas, and it grew to be about 10 ft. tall. Really drought resistant.
Thanks all for all the great information. You all are so helpful!!!! Will have to put it on my wish list for sure.
Okus yours is beautiful, shame they get so large--well maybe it's not, stops me from wanting to get 10 of them. LOL
Here's a great link thanks again to those Aggies!
http://www.texassuperstar.com/plants.html
Thanks dmj1218, now you've gotten me to think'n about expanding my front beds !!! Pooh ! :)
Mine is a pale lavender. I want it to be blue.
Could it be the soil?
I have the lavender , the pink and a white one....
I bought one of these yesterday, but hubby was upset, as they appear to get 20 ft tall and 25 ft across! Oh my! May have to rethink this!
mel
they take trimming really well - just treat like a shrub!
Where did you find the pink and the white variety?
The pink I got one in Corpus Christi texas and the white on ebay also another pink I have I got on ebay
